Kevin Keegan has admitted that he could lose Charles N'Zogbia this summer but insisted he still hopes to persuade the talented young Frenchman that his future lies at Newcastle. N'Zogbia has recently been dropped but his failings are more to do with attitude than ability and the midfielder continues to interest several clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur.

"When I first came in here there were eight days left of the transfer window," said Keegan yesterday. "Charles and his agent wanted to move him out of here and I wouldn't allow that. But I said that, if he did his best until the end of the season and felt the same way then, I would let him leave. But it would be on our terms: Charles N'Zogbia's got three years left on his contract here.

"I've told him his training in the last week has been the best since I've been here. If he can learn to be a team player, with his individual skill he will be a hell of an asset for any club and I would like that club to be Newcastle United. But there are conditions and Charles has really got to come into the team and he knows that.

"What we've got now are 16 or 17 players who are totally committed as a pack to taking this club forward and Charles has just got to come into it a little bit more. Both the players and myself would like to keep him here, but he's got to be fully committed to Newcastle United and I think he might decide to do that."

Keegan has still to meet with Newcastle's owner, Mike Ashley, and chairman, Chris Mort, to discuss the club's summer spending plans but he remained sanguine yesterday. "There's plenty of time yet," he stressed. "Don't panic." However Newcastle's manager is unwilling to let Michael Owen and Obafemi Martins, linked with Manchester City and Arsenal respectively, to leave during the close season. "There's no point strengthening your squad and letting good players go," he said.